Lyft plans to launch fleet of self-driving taxis in Atlanta this summer
Self-driving taxis coming to Atlanta
Lyft is partnering with May Mobility to bring a fleet of self-driving Toyota minivans to Atlanta starting this summer, according to Lyft.
ATLANTA - Self-driving taxis will soon be hitting the streets of Atlanta, as Lyft confirmed it is partnering with autonomous vehicle company May Mobility to bring a fleet of self-driving Toyota Sienna minivans to the city starting this summer.
The move marks Lyft’s latest step into autonomous transportation. The company said Atlanta will be the starting point, with plans to expand to other cities such as Dallas as early as next year.
What we know:
Atlanta won’t be the first U.S. city to see autonomous vehicles on the road. Ride-hailing competitor Uber has already teamed up with Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., to deploy self-driving vehicles in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco. Waymo has also been testing its autonomous vehicles in Atlanta and said earlier this year that it expects to begin offering public rides in 2025, gradually expanding access throughout the year.
It’s not yet clear whether Waymo’s cars are currently operating without drivers on Atlanta roads.
The other side:
Public trust in self-driving technology remains mixed. AAA released a survey last month found that only 13% of U.S. drivers say they would feel comfortable riding in an autonomous vehicle. That figure represents a slight increase over last year. Still, the survey shows that 6 in 10 Americans remain afraid to ride in a self-driving car.